US10431470B2 - Method of quasi-atomic layer etching of silicon nitride - Google Patents
Method of quasi-atomic layer etching of silicon nitride Download PDFInfo
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- US10431470B2 US10431470B2 US15/904,144 US201815904144A US10431470B2 US 10431470 B2 US10431470 B2 US 10431470B2 US 201815904144 A US201815904144 A US 201815904144A US 10431470 B2 US10431470 B2 US 10431470B2
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 121
- HQVNEWCFYHHQES-UHFFFAOYSA-N silicon nitride Chemical compound N12[Si]34N5[Si]62N3[Si]51N64 HQVNEWCFYHHQES-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 title claims abstract description 36
- 229910052581 Si3N4 Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims abstract description 34
- 238000005530 etching Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 26
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 100
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 66
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 65
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 37
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 37
- 229910052731 fluorine Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 229910052756 noble gas Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 229910052717 sulfur Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims description 57
- 239000001257 hydrogen Substances 0.000 claims description 20
- 229910052739 hydrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 20
- VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicium dioxide Chemical compound O=[Si]=O VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 15
- UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen Chemical compound [H][H] UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 14
- 238000000059 patterning Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- YCKRFDGAMUMZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fluorine atom Chemical compound [F] YCKRFDGAMUMZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 12
- 239000011737 fluorine Substances 0.000 claims description 12
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 claims description 8
- 230000005284 excitation Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000004907 flux Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- -1 hydrogen ions Chemical class 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000011368 organic material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000009616 inductively coupled plasma Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052681 coesite Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052906 cristobalite Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000000377 silicon dioxide Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052682 stishovite Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052905 tridymite Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 27
- 239000010408 film Substances 0.000 description 17
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 17
- 229910052814 silicon oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 13
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 description 12
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 11
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 11
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 11
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 description 11
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 7
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 7
- 239000010409 thin film Substances 0.000 description 6
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000005229 chemical vapour deposition Methods 0.000 description 4
- 150000002431 hydrogen Chemical class 0.000 description 4
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 3
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- GWEVSGVZZGPLCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titan oxide Chemical compound O=[Ti]=O GWEVSGVZZGPLCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000006117 anti-reflective coating Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000012044 organic layer Substances 0.000 description 2
- OGIDPMRJRNCKJF-UHFFFAOYSA-N titanium oxide Inorganic materials [Ti]=O OGIDPMRJRNCKJF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910001218 Gallium arsenide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- YZCKVEUIGOORGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen atom Chemical compound [H] YZCKVEUIGOORGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910000673 Indium arsenide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- XOJVVFBFDXDTEG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Norphytane Natural products CC(C)CCCC(C)CCCC(C)CCCC(C)C XOJVVFBFDXDTEG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- YZCKVEUIGOORGS-IGMARMGPSA-N Protium Chemical compound [1H] YZCKVEUIGOORGS-IGMARMGPSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910003811 SiGeC Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000577 Silicon-germanium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910020776 SixNy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- NINIDFKCEFEMDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulfur Chemical compound [S] NINIDFKCEFEMDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- ATJFFYVFTNAWJD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Tin Chemical compound [Sn] ATJFFYVFTNAWJD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- NRTOMJZYCJJWKI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titanium nitride Chemical compound [Ti]#N NRTOMJZYCJJWKI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007796 conventional method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008021 deposition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011161 development Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011066 ex-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- RPQDHPTXJYYUPQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium arsenide Chemical compound [In]#[As] RPQDHPTXJYYUPQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000012212 insulator Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001465 metallisation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910003465 moissanite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910021421 monocrystalline silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 150000004767 nitrides Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005204 segregation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005389 semiconductor device fabrication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910010271 silicon carbide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000004544 sputter deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011593 sulfur Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013077 target material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052723 transition metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000314 transition metal oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
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- H01L21/18—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table or AIIIBV compounds with or without impurities, e.g. doping materials
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- H01L21/3065—Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
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- H01L21/033—Making masks on semiconductor bodies for further photolithographic processing not provided for in group H01L21/18 or H01L21/34 comprising inorganic layers
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Definitions
- the invention relates to a method for etching, and more particularly, a precision etch technique for etching a thin film for electronic device applications.
- the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device such as an integrated circuit and transistors and transistor components for an integrated circuit.
- various fabrication processes are executed such as film-forming depositions, etch mask creation, patterning, material etching and removal, and doping treatments, are performed repeatedly to form desired semiconductor device elements on a substrate.
- 2D two-dimensional
- Scaling efforts have greatly increased the number of transistors per unit area in 2D circuits, yet scaling efforts are running into greater challenges as scaling enters single digit nanometer semiconductor device fabrication nodes.
- Semiconductor device fabricators have expressed a desire for three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor devices in which transistors are stacked on top of each other.
- Techniques herein pertain to device fabrication using precision etch techniques.
- a method of etching includes providing a substrate having a first material containing silicon nitride and a second material that is different from the first material, forming a first chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a first process gas containing H and optionally a noble gas, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the first chemical mixture. Thereafter, the method includes forming a second chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a second process gas containing S and F, and optionally a noble element, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the second plasma-excited process gas to selectively etch the first material relative to the second material.
- the method includes providing a substrate having a first material containing silicon nitride and a second material that is different from the first material, forming a first chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a first process gas containing H and optionally a noble gas, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the first chemical mixture. Thereafter, the method includes forming a second chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a second process gas containing a high fluorine content molecule, and optionally a noble element, wherein the ratio of fluorine to other atomic elements of the high fluorine content molecule exceeds unity, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the second plasma-excited process gas to selectively etch the first material relative to the second material.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a method of etching a thin film on a substrate according to an embodiment
- FIG. 2 provides a flow chart illustrating a method of etching a substrate according to an embodiment
- FIG. 3 illustrates a result obtained using the method of etching depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
- FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate additional results obtained using the method of etching depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
- FIGS. 6A through 6D illustrate various exemplary fabrication sequences to which the method of etching depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be applied according to several embodiments;
- FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a schematic representation of a method of etching a thin film on a substrate according to another embodiment
- FIG. 8 provides a flow chart illustrating a method of etching a substrate according to yet another embodiment.
- FIGS. 9A through 9D provide schematic illustrations of plasma processing systems for performing the method of etching according to various embodiments.
- FEOL front end of line
- BEOL back end of line
- oxide and nitride films typically silicon-containing, in nature
- SAB self-aligned block
- SADP self-aligned double patterning
- SAQP self-aligned quadruple patterning
- SAMP self-aligned multiple patterning
- a silicon nitride mandrel is anisotropically etched with selectivity to an oxide spacer.
- Current approaches to etch silicon nitride mandrel do not have the required selectivity, which exceeds 15 (i.e., the etch rate of silicon nitride is 15 times greater than the etch rate of silicon oxide) to etch the mandrel without damaging the oxide spacer.
- This invention relates to development of an anisotropic process that can etch silicon nitride mandrel with extremely high selectivity (e.g., >15, or >20, or >30, or >50, or >80, and even >100) to oxide spacer, thereby enabling SAB fabrication flows.
- extremely high selectivity e.g., >15, or >20, or >30, or >50, or >80, and even >100
- FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a method of etching a thin film.
- the method depicted as flow chart 200 , includes providing a substrate having a first material 100 containing silicon nitride and a second material (not shown) that is different from the first material 100 , forming a first chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a first process gas containing H and optionally a noble gas in step 210 , and exposing the first material on the substrate to the first chemical mixture in step 220 , the combination of which is depicted as 102 in FIG. 1 .
- the method includes forming a second chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a second process gas containing N, F, and O, and optionally a noble element in step 230 , and exposing the first material 100 on the substrate to the second plasma-excited process gas to selectively etch the first material 100 relative to the second material in step 240 , the combination of which is depicted as 104 in FIG. 1 .
- the method includes forming a second chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a second process gas containing S and F, and optionally a noble element in step 230 , and exposing the first material 100 on the substrate to the second plasma-excited process gas to selectively etch the first material 100 relative to the second material in step 240 , the combination of which is depicted as 104 in FIG. 1 .
- the first material 100 contains, consists essentially of, or consists of silicon nitride, expressed as Si 3 N 4 , or more generically Si x N y , wherein x and y are real number greater than zero.
- the second material can include silicon oxide, e.g., SiO 2 , or other silicon-containing material, a metal or metal-containing material, or an organic material, such as an organic planarization layer (OPL), resist, or antireflective coating (ARC).
- OPL organic planarization layer
- ARC antireflective coating
- the first chemical mixture is formed from the plasma excitation of a first process gas.
- the first process gas contains hydrogen (H), and can include atomic hydrogen (H), molecular hydrogen (H 2 ), metastable hydrogen, hydrogen radical, or hydrogen ions, or any combination of two or more thereof.
- the first process gas includes H 2 , or H 2 and Ar.
- the first process gas consists essentially of or consists of H 2 .
- the first process gas consists essentially of or consists of H 2 and Ar.
- the second chemical mixture is formed from the plasma excitation of a second process gas.
- the second process gas can contain a high fluorine content molecule, wherein the ratio of fluorine to other atomic elements exceeds unity.
- the second process gas can contain nitrogen (N), fluorine (F), and oxygen (O), and can optionally include a noble element, such as Ar (argon).
- the second process gas includes NF 3 , O 2 , and Ar.
- the second process gas consists essentially of or consists of NF 3 , O 2 , and Ar.
- the second process gas can contain sulfur (S) and fluorine (F), and can optionally include a noble element, such as Ar (argon).
- the second process gas includes SF 6 and Ar.
- the second process gas consists essentially of or consists of SF 6 and Ar.
- the plasma-excitation of the first process and/or the second process gas can be performed in-situ (i.e., the first and/or second chemical mixture is formed within a gas-phase, vacuum environment in proximate contact with the substrate), or ex-situ (i.e., the first and/or second chemical mixture is formed within a gas-phase, vacuum environment remotely located relative to the substrate).
- FIGS. 9A through 9D provide several plasma generating systems that may be used to facilitate plasma-excitation of a process gas. FIG.
- FIG. 9A illustrates a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) system, wherein plasma is formed proximate a substrate between an upper plate electrode (UEL) and a lower plate electrode (LEL), the lower electrode also serving as an electrostatic chuck (ESC) to support and retain the substrate.
- Plasma is formed by coupling radio frequency (RF) power to at least one of the electrodes.
- RF power is coupled to both the upper and lower electrodes, and the power coupling may include differing RF frequencies.
- multiple RF power sources may be coupled to the same electrode.
- DC direct current
- FIG. 9B illustrates an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system, wherein plasma is formed proximate a substrate between an inductive element (e.g., a planar, or solenoidal/helical coil) and a lower plate electrode (LEL), the lower electrode also serving as an electrostatic chuck (ESC) to support and retain the substrate.
- Plasma is formed by coupling radio frequency (RF) power to the inductive coupling element.
- RF power is coupled to both the inductive element and lower electrode, and the power coupling may include differing RF frequencies.
- FIG. 9C illustrates a surface wave plasma (SWP) system, wherein plasma is formed proximate a substrate between a slotted plane antenna and a lower plate electrode (LEL), the lower electrode also serving as an electrostatic chuck (ESC) to support and retain the substrate.
- Plasma is formed by coupling radio frequency (RF) power at microwave frequencies through a waveguide and coaxial line to the slotted plane antenna. As shown in FIG. 9C , RF power is coupled to both the slotted plane antenna and lower electrode, and the power coupling may include differing RF frequencies.
- RF radio frequency
- FIG. 9D illustrates remote plasma system, wherein plasma is formed in a region remote from a substrate and separated from the substrate by a filter arranged to impede the transport of charged particles from the remote plasma source to a processing region proximate the substrate.
- the substrate is supported by a lower plate electrode (LEL) that also serves as an electrostatic chuck (ESC) to retain the substrate.
- Plasma is formed by coupling radio frequency (RF) power to a plasma generating device adjacent the remotely located region. As shown in FIG. 9D , RF power is coupled to both the plasma generating device adjacent the remote region and lower electrode, and the power coupling may include differing RF frequencies.
- RF radio frequency
- FIGS. 9A through 9D are intended to be illustrative of various techniques for implementing the stepped ion/radical process described. Other embodiments are contemplated including both combinations and variations of the systems described.
- the gas pressure for the exposing can be less than or equal to 100 mTorr.
- the gas pressure may range from 20 mTorr to 100 mTorr.
- the substrate may be electrically biased by coupling RF power to the lower plate electrode (LEL). RF power may or may not also be applied to the plasma generating device.
- the gas pressure for the exposing can be greater than or equal to 100 mTorr.
- the gas pressure may range from 100 mTorr to 1000 mTorr.
- the substrate may be electrically biased by coupling RF power to the lower plate electrode (LEL). RF power may or may not also be applied to the plasma generating device.
- a silicon nitride film deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (CVD SiN), is exposed to several etching processes together with an adjacent silicon oxide film.
- CVD chemical vapor deposition
- the two films are exposed to a hydrogen (H 2 ) plasma only, according to the conditions provided in Table 1.
- H 2 hydrogen
- the two films are not etched and no selectivity between films is observed.
- the two films are exposed to plasma composed of NF 3 , O 2 , and Ar.
- the two films are exposed to plasma composed of SF 6 and Ar. In this radical-driven plasma, about twenty (20) Angstroms are etched from the silicon nitride film.
- the two films are sequentially exposed to the hydrogen (H 2 ) plasma, and then exposed to the plasma composed of SF 6 and Ar. In this radical and ion-driven sequential plasma, about one hundred thirty eight (138) Angstroms are etched from the silicon nitride.
- the inventors surmise that hydrogen ions during the hydrogen plasma step enrich a surface region of the silicon nitride and the silicon oxide, leading to elevated sub-surface hydrogen concentrations; see FIGS. 4 and 5 .
- the hydrogen content increases in region 1 (heavily modified sub-surface region) to a maximum, then decays through moderate concentration levels in region 2 (moderately modified sub-surface region), until it decays to low levels in region 3 (pristine or original material).
- the NF 3 and O 2 plasma, or SF 6 and Ar plasma creates radicals that selectively react with the hydrogenated silicon nitride and volatilize at a rate greater than with the second material, e.g., silicon oxide or organic material.
- the second material e.g., silicon oxide or organic material.
- the etch amount achieved during the NF 3 and O 2 , or SF 6 and Ar, step decreases (or the etch rate decays) as the etching proceeds through the sub-surface regions from relatively high hydrogen concentration to relatively low hydrogen concentration.
- FIGS. 6A through 6D several examples of fabrication sequences in semiconductor manufacturing that demand precision etch techniques are provided.
- it is necessary to remove silicon nitride with high selectivity to other materials and the examples include: (1) gate spacer etch for both 2D (two-dimensional) and 3D (three-dimensional) device structures, (2) spacer etch for sidewall image transfer (SIT) for multi-patterning, (3) mandrel removal from a post-spacer etch SIT structure, and (4) liner etch from a raised structure.
- FIG. 6A illustrates selectively removing a silicon nitride 615 from the cap region of the gate structure 610 .
- FIG. 6B illustrates selectively removing a silicon nitride 625 from a cap region and footer region surrounding a mandrel 620 utilized in a self-aligned multi-patterning (SAMP) scheme.
- FIG. 6C illustrates selectively removing a silicon nitride mandrel 635 from a post-spacer etch structure 630 to leave behind double patterned spacer structures.
- FIG. 6D illustrates selectively removing silicon nitride liners 645 to leave behind a raised feature 640 .
- SAB self-aligned block
- SADP self-aligned double patterning
- SAQP self-aligned quadruple patterning
- SAMP self-aligned multiple patterning
- a silicon nitride mandrel is anisotropically etched with selectivity to an oxide spacer.
- Current approaches to etch silicon nitride mandrel do not have the required selectivity, which exceeds 15 (i.e., the etch rate of silicon nitride is 15 times greater than the etch rate of silicon oxide) to etch the mandrel without damaging the oxide spacer.
- a substrate 700 can include a patterned layer 720 overlying a film stack 710 , including one or more optional layers 712 , 714 , 716 to be etched or patterned.
- the patterned layer 720 can define an open feature pattern overlying one or more additional layers.
- the substrate 700 further includes device layers.
- the device layers can include any thin film or structure on the workpiece into which a pattern is to be transferred, or a target material is to be removed.
- the patterned layer 720 can include a retention layer 722 , and a target layer 724 to be removed.
- the target layer 724 can be composed of silicon nitride. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B , the target layer 724 fills a trench or via 725 within retention layer 722 , the trench or via 725 has a depth (D) 727 , a width (W) 726 , and an aspect ratio (D/W).
- the aspect ratio can be greater than 3, 4, or 5. For some structures, the aspect ratio can be greater than 10, 15, or even 20.
- the width (W) 726 can be less than 50 nm, 40 nm, 30 nm, or 20 nm. In some applications, the width (W) 726 is less than 10 nm.
- the retention layer 722 can be composed of material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (SiO x ), silicon oxynitride (SiO x N y ), transition metal oxide (e.g., titanium oxide (TiO x )), transition metal nitride (e.g., titanium nitride (TiN y )), and silicon-containing organic material having a silicon content ranging from 15% by weight to 50% by weight silicon.
- silicon oxide SiO x
- SiO x N y silicon oxynitride
- transition metal oxide e.g., titanium oxide (TiO x )
- transition metal nitride e.g., titanium nitride (TiN y )
- silicon-containing organic material having a silicon content ranging from 15% by weight to 50% by weight silicon.
- the patterned layer 720 in FIG. 7A can include a spacer layer surrounding a mandrel layer used in multi-patterning schemes.
- the patterned layer 720 in FIG. 7A can include a dummy silicon nitride layer filling a region to be replaced with an advanced gate structure, such as a metal gate structure.
- the substrate 700 can include a bulk silicon substrate, a single crystal silicon (doped or un-doped) substrate, a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, or any other semiconductor substrate containing, for example, Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Ge, GaAs, InAs, InP, as well as other III/V or II/VI compound semiconductors, or any combination thereof (Groups II, III, V, VI refer to the classical or old IUPAC notation in the Periodic Table of Elements; according to the revised or new IUPAC notation, these Groups would refer to Groups 2, 13, 15, 16, respectively).
- SOI semiconductor-on-insulator
- the substrate 700 can be of any size, for example, a 200 mm (millimeter) substrate, a 300 mm substrate, a 450 mm substrate, or an even larger substrate.
- the device layers can include any film or device structure into which a pattern can be transferred.
- Organic layer 721 blankets various regions of substrate 700 , and exposes block regions within which the silicon nitride mandrel is to be removed from high aspect ratio features.
- the silicon nitride mandrel 714 is selectively removed with minimal impact to the silicon oxide spacers and the organic layer 721 .
- FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart 800 for etching a substrate according to another embodiment.
- a self-aligned block (SAB) structure is prepared.
- a mandrel is removed from an exposed region of the SAB structure.
- FIG. 8 depicts a method of selectively etching a silicon nitride mandrel from a high aspect ratio feature to leave behind silicon oxide spacers.
- the aspect ratio can exceed ten ( 10 , and the etch selectivity for removing the silicon nitride mandrel relative to other materials, e.g., silicon oxide and organic material, can exceed 20-to-1, or 50-to-1, or even 100-to-1.
- substrate or “target substrate” as used herein generically refers to an object being processed in accordance with the invention.
- the substrate may include any material portion or structure of a device, particularly a semiconductor or other electronics device, and may, for example, be a base substrate structure, such as a semiconductor wafer, reticle, or a layer on or overlying a base substrate structure such as a thin film.
- substrate is not limited to any particular base structure, underlying layer or overlying layer, patterned or un-patterned, but rather, is contemplated to include any such layer or base structure, and any combination of layers and/or base structures.
- the description may reference particular types of substrates, but this is for illustrative purposes only.
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Abstract
Description
TABLE 1 |
Tool: CCP, ICP, RLSA |
H2 plasma: 20-100 mT, HF 0 W, |
LF 25-100 W, 500H2/50 Ar, 15C, 15-60 sec |
NF3—O2 plasma: 100-500 mT, HF 0-1000 W, |
LF 15-100 W, 480NF3/160O2/1000 Ar, 15C, 5-60 sec |
Dominant | |||
plasma | Etch Amount [Å] | Selectivity |
Step | species | CVD SiN | Oxide | SiN-Oxide |
H2 plasma only | Ion- | −0.6 | −3 | No |
driven | sputtering | |||
NF3—O2 plasma only | Radical- | 11 | 1 | >11 |
driven | ||||
H2 + NF3—O2 plasma | 61 | −1 | >60 | |
Claims (19)
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